The Comedy Channel

Television Subscription and International
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Baskets starring Zach Galifianakis
Tuesdays from January 26 at 9.30pm AEST only on The Comedy Channel

Baskets is a highly-anticipated new comedy series created by Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Louis C.K. (Louie) and Jonathan Krisel (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Portlandia, Saturday Night Live, Man Seeking Woman) telling the story of Chip Baskets’ (Galifianakis) pursuit of becoming a respected professional clown.

The series opens with Chip Baskets following his dream of being a French clown at a prestigious clowning school in France, although unfortunately reality keeps interfering. Saddled with financial difficulties and facing an impenetrable language barrier, he moves back to his hometown Bakersfield, USA with high hopes.

In Bakersfield, Chip is forced to confront his past and competes with his siblings for his mother’s approval and affection. Eventually Chip does secure a job as a clown, however it’s as at a Californian rodeo complete with bulls, broncs and cowboys.

Galifianakis is shown working double duty playing Chip as well as his twin brother Dale, who is seemingly more put-together and very full of himself.

On the heels of Louis C.K.’s second writing Emmy win for Louie, the 10 episode series Baskets is the first project under FX Productions’ overall deal with Louis C.K. and his production company Pig Newton.

Baskets premieres exclusively on Foxtel just days after its broadcast in the US, Tuesdays from January 26 at 9.30pm only on The Comedy Channel.

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I see www.comedycentral.com.au and FB and Twitter accounts have launched today. Is this merely streaming their content here or are they aiming to replace or add to The Comedy Channel?

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###Animals

From Wednesday 17 from February at 9.30pm

Animals. is an edgy and irreverent new adult animated series straight out of New York City from the comedic genius of Jay and Mark Duplass and featuring the vocal talents of some of comedy’s biggest stars.

A decidedly different animated comedy, each 30-minute episode of Animals is comprised of 2-3 shorts that follow New York City’s most ubiquitous but often-ignored creatures as they reveal their neuroses and hilariously human-like qualities. In these unexpected tales of urban life – whether it’s lovelorn rats, gender-questioning pigeons, or bedbugs in the midst of a midlife crisis – the awkward small talk, moral ambiguity, and existential woes of non-human urbanites prove startlingly similar to our own.

Creators/writers/directors Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano voice a different pair of animal buddies per episode named, respectively, Phil and Mike. In addition to the hijinks of New York City’s animal population, the series also features an ongoing non-speaking narrative about the city’s corrupt mayor.

The voice cast includes Mark Duplass, Ellie Kemper (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Marc Maron (Maron), Aziz Ansari (Master of None), Nick Kroll (The Kroll Show), Katie Aselton (The League), Molly Shannon (SNL, HBO’s upcoming Divorce), Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Rob Corddry (Ballers), Steve Zissis (Togetherness), Matt Walsh (Veep), Kumail Nanjiani and Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), and many more. Unlike many animated projects, Animals. records these guest actors at the same time, in the same place, leaving room for improvisation.

Animals. was born when Matarese and Luciano, who met while working together at an advertising production company, noticed a pair of pigeons outside their office and began speaking to each other from the bird’s point of view. Their subsequent 12-minute pilot, “Pigeons,” won Best Comedy at the 2013 New York Television Festival. The first two episodes of this series debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, after which Animals. received a two-season pick-up from HBO.

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###Broad City is back baby! - Season 3

Premieres Mondays 22 February at 9.30pm

Season three of the hit series Broad City returns with ten all-new episodes premiering just days after broadcast in the US on Mondays from February 22 at 9.30pm AEST only on Foxtel’s The Comedy Channel.

Recently renewed by Comedy Central for its fourth and fifth seasons, Broad City is courtesy of the collective brains of – and starring – Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer.

The latest instalment of Broad City sees best friends Abbi and Ilana dealing with a whole new slew of everyday challenges and outlandish adventures as they live their lives in New York City including a trip to the DMV, a rat in the apartment, going clubbing, taking on new job responsibilities, visiting Abbi’s dad, and new hook-ups.

In the season three premiere entitled “Two Chainz”, Abbi and Ilana experience major wardrobe malfunctions on the way to a friend’s gallery show, all while searching desperately for a good old New York City public bathroom.

Hannibal Buress, Arturo Castro, Paul W. Downs, John Gemberling and Chris Gethard return as series regulars and season three’s guest stars do not disappoint. Hillary Clinton, Alan Alda, Bob Balaban, Tony Danza, Susie Essman, Judy Gold, Whoopi Goldberg, Blake Griffin, Melissa Leo, Eugene Mirman, Cynthia Nixon and Vanessa Williams all lend their talents to this season of Broad City.

Their dynamic relationship, combined with their impeccable comedic timing and chemistry, has earned Glazer and Jacobson universal praise from fans and critics alike, including a 2016 Writers Guild Award nomination for “Best Comedy Series,” nominations for “Best Comedy Series” by theBroadcast Television Journalists Association in both 2014 and 2015 and numerous and continual mentions in a bevy of year-end “Best TV” and “Shows of 2015” editorial lists.

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###Inside Amy Schumer - Season 4

From Friday 22 April at 8.30pm

Inside Amy Schumer returns to The Comedy Channel

If it’s laughs you’re after then look no further than The Comedy Channel with more award-winning comedies, more local and international stand-up, and more Express from the US hit shows delivered to Foxtel homes than ever before.

In addition to Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Workaholics, Tosh.0, Broad City, and many other hilarious series airing Express from the US or within just a few days of US broadcast, the latest instalment of Inside Amy Schumer Season 4 will launch Same Day Express on Fridays from April 22 at 8.30pm.

Straight from Amy Schumer’s provocative and hilariously wicked mind, Inside Amy Schumer explores sex, relationships and the general idiocy that is life with sketches, stand-up comedy, cameo performances, and woman-on-the-street interviews. Executive produced by Schumer, Dan Powell and Jessi Klein, the series has been awarded many titles including winning two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2015.

Comedy Central programming available now and coming soon on The Comedy Channel

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Season 2 currently on-air Tuesdays to Fridays at 7pm Same Day Express
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
Season 2 currently on-air Tuesdays to Fridays at 11pm Same Day Express
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Idiotsitter
Season 1 currently on-air Mondays at 9pm Same Week as the US
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

@midnight with Chris Hardwick
Season 4 currently on-air Tuesdays to Fridays at 10.30pm
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Workaholics
Season 6 currently on-air Wednesdays at 9pm Same Week as the US
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Tosh.0
Season 8 currently on-air Thursdays at 8.30pm Express from the US
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Broad City
Season 3 currently on-air Thursdays at 9pm Same Day Express
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Another Period
Season 1 premieres Mondays from March 28 at 9pm
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Adam Devine’s House Party
Season 1 premieres Fridays from April 1 at 8.30pm
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail
Season 1 premieres Fridays from April 8 at 9.00pm
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Inside Amy Schumer
Season 4 premieres Fridays from April 22 at 8.30pm Same Day Express
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

Not Safe with Nikki Glaser
Season 1 premieres Mondays from May 2 at 8.30pm
First on The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

TripTank
Season 2b premieres Wednesdays from May 25 at 9.30pm Same Day Express
First On The Comedy Channel and streamed on Anytime

South Park Easter Marathon
Entire series from Season 1 through to and including Season 18
Starts Friday March 25 to Monday April 4 from 7.30am to 7pm daily

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TCC promoting comedy central content now that Comedy Central will be airing on FetchTV from April 1.

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###Silicon Valley - Season 3

From Tuesday 26 April at 9.00pm AEST

Season 3 premieres Tuesdays from April 26 at 9.00pm Express from the US only on The Comedy Channel

In the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, often the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. Creator Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis & Butthead, King of the Hill) again brings his impertinent brand of humour to HBO in the Emmy® Award-winning comedy series Silicon Valley.

Partially inspired by Judge’s own experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the late ‘80s, the show kicks off its eight-episode Season 3 Tuesdays from April 26 at 9pm on Foxtel’s The Comedy Channel Express from the US.

Following the dramatic ending of Season 2, the Pied Piper gang isn’t going down without a fight. Richard (Thomas Middleditch) is obviously upset as a new Pied Piper CEO has been appointed and he’s now just an employee of his own company.

Season 3 sees new character ‘Action’ Jack Barker (Stephen Tobblowsky) as Pied Piper CEO and new salesperson, Jan (Erin Breen) join the existing cast of Richard and his brilliant but awkward Pied Piper team, Erlich (T.J. Miller), Jared (Zach Woods), Gilfoyle (Martin Starr), Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani), and Monica (Amanda Crew).

Filled with even more IT industry cameos, this season of Silicon Valley promises to skewer the tech world with even greater veracity and throw a whole new light onto genius.

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###Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Big Three-Oh!

From Friday 3 June at 9pm AEST

Six-part stand up series from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival premiering on The Comedy Channel Fridays from June 3 at 9pm

Celebrating 30 fabulous years of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Foxtel filmed the 30th Birthday Bash in front of a live audience from Melbourne’s historic Regent Theatre on April 1 to create a hilarious six part stand up series exclusive to The Comedy Channel.

Hosted by Tommy Little, the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Big Three-Oh! series features new performances, musical comedy, and favourite acts from the past 30 years including Gerry Connolly, Judith Lucy, Wil Anderson, Luke McGregor, Eddie Perfect, Nina Conti, Dave Hughes, Ronny Chieng, Sammy J & Randy, Wendy Harmer, Charlie Pickering, Hannah Gadsby, the Umbilical Brothers, Cal Wilson, Greg Fleet, Stephen K Amos, Tripod, a guest appearance from Briggs, and the long awaited reunion of Lano & Woodley!

Thirty years ago an idea was hatched to create a festival to showcase and celebrate Melbourne’s ground breaking comedy and cabaret venues and the performers who inhabited them. From its humble beginnings, the Melbourne Comedy Festival has become one of the biggest in the world playing host to thousands of local and international performers and entertaining millions of people.

A massive line-up of comedy superstars past, present and future delivered a once in a lifetime comedy event that you won’t miss out on thanks to The Comedy Channel. The Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Big Three-Oh! six part series kicks off Fridays from June 3 at 9pm only on The Comedy Channel.

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###Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia

The Comedy Channel commissions format for Australian audiences and signs series host Tommy Little

Foxtel announced today it has commissioned Whose Line Is It Anyway? exclusively for The Comedy Channel bringing the world-famous improvisational comedy show to Australia with a hilarious line-up of popular comedians and new faces.

Aussie comedian Tommy Little is new host and almighty ruler of Whose Line and will be joined by seven exciting and talented ensemble cast members. Four of the cast will perform together in each episode’s improv sketches with no-one knowing where the sketches will end up. The performers are forced to get themselves into insane situations with improv challenges often demanding song and dance but most importantly, jokes. The host then awards various amounts of points – that don’t even matter – to the best players and funniest performances.

Foxtel’s Head of Premium Entertainment, Graham Burrells said, “Whose Line Is It Anyway? has been a favourite on The Comedy Channel for many years and we are excited to do our own local version. The new show will be an energetic and unpredictable event with a fantastic cast of comedy heavyweights and new talent. It’s Whose Line but not as you’ve seen it before.”

Melbourne-native Tommy Little is one of the most irresistible comedians of his generation delivering smart and engaging comedy capable of holding a room in the palm of his hand. After co-hosting the Breakfast Program on NOVA Melbourne for two years, Tommy is an increasingly recurring face on Australian television screens as fill in host on Network Ten’s The Project, host of Foxtel’s Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Big Three Oh! stand-up series, as well as appearances in Just for Laughs Australia, Dirty Laundry Live, Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala Specials, and many more.

Tommy Little, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia host, said, “It’s an honour to be part of such an iconic show. I get to watch Australia’s best improvisers create magic and then take the piss if they stuff up, I can’t wait to get started.”

Born in the late 1980s in the UK, Whose Line Is It Anyway? continued to grow in popularity and migrated to American television screens from 1998 evolving into the show currently airing in the US and on The Comedy Channel. Whose Line has been home to comedy’s most famous personalities including Stephen Fry, Drew Carey, Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops, Aisha Tyler, and many more regulars and celebrity guest stars.

Ten-part series Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia will be filmed in front of a live audience in Melbourne exclusively for Foxtel to premiere in the second half of 2016 only on The Comedy Channel. Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia is Executively Produced by Kevin Whyte, Guesswork Television, and Craig Campbell, +61 TV.

Click here to learn more about being part of the live audience and register your interest.

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Tommy is an interesting choice for the hosting gig, he doesn’t have a strong history of successful shows although this sounds like something I’d watch.

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###Best of the Fest

Friday 15 July and Friday 22 July at 9pm AEST

The Comedy Channel premieres two-part special from the Sydney Comedy Festival hosted by Lawrence Mooney

The Sydney Comedy Festival is Sydney’s biggest annual comedy event. Every year, hundreds of the world’s funniest comedians take to stages across Sydney to entertain. Foxtel was there on opening night at the Cracker Night gala to film a showcase of comedic talent creating the Best of the Fest for The Comedy Channel.

The two-part stand up special is hosted by Lawrence Mooney and features performances from some of the best local and international comedians. Steve Hughes, Larry Dean, Anne Edmonds, Dave Hughes, Ivan Aristgueta, Daniel Sloss, Dom Irrera, Aunty Donna and Akmal all perform live from Sydney’s Enmore Theatre.

Lawrence Mooney is one of this country’s most celebrated stand up comedians nominated for The Barry Award at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2015 and winner of Best Show at The Sydney Comedy Festival 2015. Lawrence has hit the microphone with his unique view of the human condition for 21 years and is also well known to TV audiences as host of Dirty Laundry Live and featured on It’s a Date.

The two Best of the Fest 30 minute specials premiere Friday July 15 and Friday July 22 at 9pm only on The Comedy Channel.

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Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia Cast Announced
Local version of popular format filming in Melbourne for Aussie audiences

New Foxtel series Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia announces its ensemble cast of seven exciting and talented performers. Comedy superstar Rhys Darby is joined by comedy festival favourites Cal Wilson, Tegan Higginbotham and Susie Youssef, along with world-class improviser Steen Raskopoulos, and newcomers Bridie Connell and Tom Walker.

Currently filming in Melbourne, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia adds a local twist to the world-famous improvisational comedy show with a hilarious line-up of popular comedians and new faces, all led by series host Tommy Little. Energetic and unpredictable, it’s Whose Line but not as you’ve seen it before.

Actor and stand up comedian from New Zealand, Rhys Darby, is best known as the hapless, well-meaning band manager, Murray, from HBO’s cult hit Flight of the Conchords. Rhys is currently based in Los Angeles with his family where he has appeared on US TV shows including How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Wrecked, Voltron and The X-Files. Rhys has toured Australia several times in live shows and has starred in films Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows.

A world class stand up with more than twenty years of improv under her belt, Cal Wilson brings a wealth of experience to Whose Line. Cal is one of Australia’s most popular stand ups with sold out seasons across the country and two successful runs in Edinburgh. One of the few Australians to have appeared on Stephen Fry’s QI, Cal regularly appears on television including Have You Been Paying Attention, Spicks and Specks, Thank God You’re Here, Good News Week, and many more.

Steen Raskopoulos’ unique one man multi character sketch comedy festival shows have scored him nominations for “Best Newcomer” in Edinburgh and for “Best Show” in Melbourne. Steen has done more than anyone to lead a renaissance of improv in Australia – his long form “Bear Pack” shows fill the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Sydney and have sold out in the Melbourne Comedy Festival. He has sold out three West End seasons and starred in the BBC Series Top Coppers.

An internationally trained improviser with sold out Comedy Festival shows to her name, Susie Youssef’s comedy is as dry as a martini with endearing warmth that draws you in for her deft upper hook. Susie’s improv skills have been honed at the legendary iO Theatre in Chicago – training ground to improv superstars Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Stephen Colbert and Mike Myers – and where cast-mate Steen also cut his teeth.

Tegan Higginbotham is the youngest veteran on the comedy scene, this year was her tenth Melbourne Comedy Festival and she’s still in her twenties. Multi-talented and properly funny, Tegan has presented several acclaimed solo stand up shows and is part of the legendary sketch group “Watson”, who haven’t seen an empty seat in years. Tegan has been seen on Spicks and Specks, Thank God You’re Here, Have You Been Paying Attention?, and in films Molly, Oddball, and Holding the Man.

A star of the Sydney improv scene and a regular at The Chaser’s Giant Dwarf Theatre, Bridie Connell has performed sold out solo shows at the Sydney Comedy Festival and Sydney Fringe Festival, and has previously won the National Theatresports Championship. A true triple threat, Bridie can act, sing and dance, winning a scholarship to study Musical Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York.

Tom Walker is peculiar, hilarious and wonderfully physical. Walker trained in Paris at the prestigious acting and clown school École Philippe Gaulier, which boasts the likes of Sacha Baron Cohen and Emma Thompson as alumni. A National Theatresports Champion and stage companion to Steen and Bridie, Tom won “Best Newcomer” at the 2016 Melbourne Comedy Festival with his deeply odd and incredibly funny character show.

Ten-part series Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia is filmed in front of a live audience in Melbourne exclusively for Foxtel to premiere in the second half of 2016.

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Every day is a different marathon on The Comedy Channel

Looking for a break from sport this Olympics? Then get ready for the Comedy Couch-a-thon! Sixteen days of epic viewing featuring a collection of The Comedy Channel’s finest programs starting from 9am every day for the duration of the Games.

Complete a new marathon each day without even leaving the couch on The Comedy Channel with
The Big Bang Theory (Season 7),
Inside Amy Schumer (Seasons 2, 3 & 4),
Broad City (Seasons 1, 2 & 3),
Silicon Valley (Seasons 1, 2 & 3),
Tosh.0 (Seasons 7b & 8),
Parks & Recreation (Season 5),
Hoff The Record (Seasons 1 & 2),
Community (Seasons 4 & 5),
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (US version, Season 3),
Workaholics (Seasons 5 & 6),
Chapelle’s Show (Season 1), and
Eastbound & Down (Seasons 1, 2, 3 & 4).

The Comedy Channel has the ultimate stand up marathon featuring specials from the world champions of stand up including Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle, Kevin Hart, Sarah Silverman, Ricky Gervais, Whitney Cummings, Russell Brand, and Amy Schumer.

Get patriotic on the Aussie comedy day with
Open Slather (Seasons 1 & 2),
Just for Laughs Australia 2015,
Best of the Sydney Comedy Fest 2016, and
Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Big Three-Oh! 2016.

The English team gets a look in too with their own British comedy marathon including
The Inbetweeners (Seasons 1, 2 & 3),
Jimmy Carr stand up special, and
Lookalikes (Season 1).

Archer (Season 7), Robot Chicken (Season 7), and Rick & Morty (Season 1) all feature on the Animation marathon day.

Tune in to The Comedy Channel each day at 9am to see your favourites back-to-back on the Comedy Couch-a-thon from August 6 to 21.

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###Vice Principals

From 22 August at 8.30pm AEST

New HBO comedy starring Danny McBride premieres Mondays from August 22 at 8.30pm only on The Comedy Channel

Created by Danny McBride and Jody Hill (co-creators of HBO’s Eastbound & Down), Vice Principals is a dark comedy series that tells the story of southern suburban school, North Jackson High, and the two people who almost run it – the Vice Principals.

Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down, This Is The End, Tropic Thunder) and Walton Goggins (Justified, The Hateful Eight) star as Neal Gamby and Lee Russell, a pair of ambitious administrators waged in an epic power struggle to ascend to the top spot after the long-time Principal (Bill Murray) steps down to look after his terminally ill wife.

However both VPs plans are foiled when the school board installs a replacement Principal choosing neither for the role. When Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hebert Gregory) swoops in to claim the job, Gamby and Russell put their mutual disdain aside and forge an unholy alliance.

Operating by the adage that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” the unlikely pair team up for an all-out, take-no-prisoners effort to bring down Dr. Brown, the only person who may in fact have the school’s best interests at heart. The VPs will go to extreme lengths to overthrow their new boss – no-one is safe and nothing is off limits.

Joining McBride and Hill as Executive Producer and Director is long time collaborator David Gordon Green (Eastbound and Down, Pineapple Express).

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###Get ready for a feast of Roasts on Foxtel

Kicking off with Comedy Central’s Roast of Rob Lowe

Tuesday 6 September at 8.30pm AEST Express from the US on The Comedy Channel

Hollywood heartthrob Rob Lowe is treated with his very own special Roast – and considering the skeletons in Lowe’s closet, which include struggles with alcohol and an affair with Princess Stephanie of Monaco – the Roasters should have no problem finding topics to poke fun at. Comedy Central’s Roast of Rob Lowe will premiere Tuesday September 6 at 8.30pm Express from the US on The Comedy Channel.

Known for his roles in St Elmo’s Fire, Wayne’s World, the Austin Powers franchise, The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters, Parks & Recreation, The Grinder and many, many more – Lowe has been a handsome fixture of our small and silver screens since the early 1980s. Get ready for Lowe’s dirty laundry to be aired when the Roasters spill the beans on his movie star lifestyle and brat pack antics.

Comedy Central’s Roast of Rob Lowe will assemble a dais of comedians and celebrities, along with Roast Master David Spade (Saturday Night Live, Joe Dirt, Just Shoot Me!, Rules of Engagement), to take down the ageless sex symbol one burn at a time. The first round of Roasters confirmed include one of the UK’s most distinctive comedians Jimmy Carr, Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson, actress and Lowe’s co-star Bo Derek, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, comedic actor Rob Riggle, and Roast alumni Jeff Ross. Additional Roasters and talent attending this historic comedic event will be announced over the next few weeks.

Roast mastermind Jeff Ross has prepared three more Roast shows to air in September and October with the launch of Jeff Ross Presents: Roast Battle, Jeff Ross Roasts Criminals: Live At Brazos County, and Jeff Ross Roasts Police.

The Jeff Ross Presents: Roast Battle series, with host Brian Moses and a panel of celebrity judges, will decide this year’s “Roast Battle Champion”. The comedians will compete onstage while adhering to the “Roast Battle Rules” – original material only, no physical contact, and every battle ends with a hug. In this competition, 16 comedians will enter the ring, but only one will emerge as the crowned champion. Jeff Ross Presents: Roast Battle premieres Saturdays from September 17 at 8.30pm on The Comedy Channel.

Roastmaster General Jeff Ross gives the most dangerous – and enlightening – Roast of his life from behind the walls of the Brazos County Jail in Bryan, Texas. In the Jeff Ross Roasts Criminals: Live At Brazos County special Ross touches on topics surrounding incarceration such as race, solitary confinement and the death penalty premiering Saturday October 15 at 8.30pm on The Comedy Channel.

If Roasting inmates wasn’t enough, Jeff Ross takes it to the next level and Roasts the police! In this special Ross explores the burning national issues of today and rides along in the hottest seat in town as he uses his unique brand of comedy to deliver up a delicious serving of insults to the brave men and women who serve and protect. Jeff Ross Roasts Police premieres Saturday October 22 at 8.30pm on The Comedy Channel.

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###Pacific Heat

From Sunday 27 November at 8pm AEDT

Foxtel’s new animated comedy Pacific Heat launches on The Comedy Channel November 27 at 8pm

Foxtel will exclusively premiere its new local comedy commission, Pacific Heat, Australia’s first adult animation, and the latest comedy from the award-winning Working Dog team of Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch and Michael Hirsh.

Pacific Heat will enjoy a worldwide premiere on Foxtel Sundays from November 27 at 8pm on The Comedy Channel.

Graham Burrells, Head of Premium Entertainment, Foxtel Networks said, “Adult animation has always been popular on The Comedy Channel and it’s fantastic to have a home-grown Australian animation series on Foxtel. Pacific Heat is a perfect fit for our audience.”

Working Dog’s Michael Hirsh said, “We enjoy exploring new formats. Along the way, apart from TV and film we’ve published books, created a stage production, a podcast series and experimented with animation. Making an animated series is, I guess, another example of this desire to try out different ways of doing things. We showed a few short scenes to Foxtel and they commissioned the series on the spot.”

Pacific Heat is set on the glitzy, glamorous Gold Coast, a sun-drenched paradise where sun and surf meet soaring crime rates. The animated comedy series is based on the exploits of an undercover special unit known as “Pacific Heat” established by police authorities to tackle everyone from petty crooks to international drug cartels. Unconventional, uncompromising and with an arrest rate second to none, the “Pacific Heat” team are not afraid to operate outside the law – provided at least one of them is wearing a fluorescent safety vest.

Special Agent Todd Sommerville (voiced by Rob Sitch) is a cop unconcerned with bending the rules. Special Agent Zac Valentic (voiced by Santo Cilauro) is the tough man of the team, he’s a special breed of cop. The Chief (voiced by Tom Gleisner) has seen it all, he’s tough, street-smart and still unhappy that his peptic ulcer doesn’t entitle him to a disabled parking spot. Special Agents Maddie Riggs (voiced by Rebecca Massey) and Veronica “V.J.” Delane (voiced by Lucia Mastrantone) combine the brains and beauty of the team and possess the many skills needed to solve crimes.

The 13-part animated series Pacific Heat is from the creative minds of Working Dog productions, the highly successful Australian production company responsible for incredibly popular TV series such as Have You Been Paying Attention?, Frontline, Thank God You’re Here, and The Panel. Pacific Heat premieres first on Foxtel Sundays from November 27 at 8.00pm on The Comedy Channel.

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One of the Working Dog team responds to online chatter that its new animated series resembles another hit series.

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###Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia

From 27 November at 7.30pm AEDT

Foxtel’s local version of the much-loved comedy series, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia will launch exclusively on The Comedy Channel Sundays from November 27 at 7.30pm.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia is a fresh and fun take on the popular original series’ from the UK and the US with a fantastic mix of experienced and new improv performers. Expect the unexpected when the quick-witted cast tackle the various improv challenges thrown at them each week.

Host Tommy Little is joined by seven exciting and talented ensemble cast members – comedy superstar Rhys Darby, stand-up festival favourites Cal Wilson, Tegan Higginbotham and Susie Youssef, along with world-class improviser Steen Raskopoulos, and newcomers Bridie Connell and Tom Walker.

In each of the ten episodes four of the cast will perform improv sketches together thrown at them by host Tommy Little and suggestions from the audience with no-one knowing where they will end up. The performers get themselves into insane situations with improv challenges often demanding singing and dancing – but most importantly they must deliver the jokes. The host then awards various amounts of points – that don’t even matter – to the best players and funniest sketches.

Ten-part series Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia was filmed in front of a live audience in Melbourne with house band led by Kit Warhurst. Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia is Executively Produced by Kevin Whyte, Guesswork Television, and Craig Campbell, +61 TV exclusively for Foxtel. The Australian series premieres Sundays from November 27 at 7.30pm only on The Comedy Channel.

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Just For Laughs Australia returns for a fourth season hosted by Tommy Little

Premieres Sundays 27 November at 8.30pm AEDT

Foxtel’s hugely popular Just For Laughs Australia filmed from the Just For Laughs Sydney Stand Up Series event returns this year for a fourth season with new host Tommy Little. A must watch for fans of original Australian comedy, this year’s amazing line-up includes some of the biggest and funniest names on the comedy circuit.

The Just For Laughs Sydney comedy festival is held at the iconic Sydney Opera House each year with a range of different acts and world-class comedians appearing throughout the festival. This year the Stand Up Series was hosted by Tommy Little and filmed to create a hilarious 11-part stand up series exclusively for The Comedy Channel.

Tommy Little brings his irreverent and infectious comedy style to the role of host and keeps the jokes cracking while some of the best Australian and international comedians perform.

Just For Laughs Australia Season 4 features festival headliners Margaret Cho and Rhys Darby, familiar faces including Peter Helliar, Rove McManus, Judith Lucy, and Joel Creasey, along with up and coming Aussie comedians Demi Lardner and Dilruk Jayasinha.

The series also includes performances from stand up superstars Dave Hughes, Cal Wilson, Matt Okine, Dave Thornton, Charlie Pickering, Em Rusciano, Hannah Gadsby, Lehmo, Damien Power and many, many more.

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Promos for Pacific Heat & Whose Line is it Anyway Aus both aired on Channel Ten tonight during the ARIAS.